Air distributor



Oct. 17, 1967 E, SAMUELSSON ETAL 3,347,146

AIR DISTRIBUTOR Filed Sept. 17, 1965 INVENTORSZ EVERT SAMUELSSON BIRGER LARKFELDT ATTYSI United States Patent 7 2 Claims (Cl. 98-40) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An air diffuser or distributor for insertion into the outlet of a duct for conditioned air having a face plate adapted to cover the opening of the duct with a central opening in the face plate which merges into a rearwardly projecting sleeve. Within the sleeve, there are a plurality of annular vanes in the form of hollow cylinders having at least the forward part thereof disposed with their common longitudinal axis at an acute angle to the plane of the front plate so that when the plate is rotated, the flow of air may be adjusted in direction. A damper is provided in the duct to regulate the volume of the air flow therethrough.

The present invention relates to a distributor or dilfusor comprising a circular front plate with a coaxial circular opening therein merging into a sleeve adapted to be inserted into a mounting frame in the outlet of a supply duct for conditioned air, and more particularly to a distributor comprising a plurality of annular concentric vanes within said opening.

When designing a ventilating or air conditioning system, the direction in which air is blown into a room in many cases must be adjusted with respect to position of the inlet opening and the character of the room. This problem was heretofore solved by using grills of various designs comprising adjustable vanes or adjustable deflectors. Grills with fixed vanes have also been used which may be fitted in associated mounting frames in a definite number of different positions. It has often proved necessary, however, because of adjustments in the central ventilating plant or because of changes in the working conditions in a room, to make re-adjustments with respect to the blowing direction of the air.

The present invention has as its primary object the elimination of the previous inconveniences of time-consuming changes and adjustments needed for such re-adjustment, by means of a novel, simple, and inexpensively constructed air distributor.

More specifically, an air distributor according to the present invention is characterized by a plurality of annular vanes having at least the forward part of each facing the plane of the front plate in the form of a hollow cylinder inclined to the plane of the front plate, the common longitudinal axis of said inclined cylinders of the several vanes forming an acute angle with the plane of the front plate. It was found that an air distributor according to the invention also provides the advantages of a low-pressure drop and a low inherent noise, which makes it particularly well adapted for use in dwelling areas.

The invention will now he described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawing showing by way of an example an embodiment of an air distributor according to the present invention, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a cross section through an air distributor according to the invention partially displaced forward-1y in its mounting frame; and

FIG. 2 is a view of the air distributor as seen from the line 22. of FIG. 1.

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Referring now to the drawing, the air distributor comprises a front plate 1, which in the illustrated embodiment, is provided with an inturned outer edge 1a and a circular opening 2, which merges into a rearwardly projecting sleeve 3 adapted to be inserted into a mounting frame 8 surrounding the outlet of a supply duct 9 for conditioned air. In the opening 2, a plurality of annular concentric vanes 4 are supported and mutually fixed by stays 5.

In accordance with the invention, the external parts 4a of the vanes, which in the present instance, terminate in the plane of the front plate, are in the form of hollow cylinders inclined to the plane of the front plate 1, while the internal or rearward parts 4b, -i.e., the parts facing away from the front plate, are in the form of hollow cylinders oriented perpendicularly to the front plate '1. The cylindrical parts 4a have a common axis which intersects the plane of the front plate 1 at the center of the opening, and the cylindrical parts 412 have a second common axis perpendicular to said plane and offset from said center. Without departing from the invention, the vanes may also have the same inclination along their entire length.

For mounting the distributor in the mounting frame 8, spring elements 6 are pivoted on two oppositely-extended portions 3a of the sleeve 3, said portions as shown being preferably stiffened by brackets 31) projecting rearwardly from the stays 5. The spring elements 6 engage with their free ends in an annular groove 10 in the mounting frame and pass an unstable intermediate position when the air distributor is being pressed-in, as is previously described in Swedish Patent Specification 157,746. The groove and spring elements also serve as a guide for the air distributor when the latter (preferably pulled-out somewhat as shown in FIG. 1), is rotatably displaced in the mounting frame for revolving the common axis of the parts 4a to effect the desired change in the outflow direction of the air. At the same time, when desired, also the casting length of the air flow may be changed by means of a throttle member 11 mounted in the supply duct 9. For this reason, an air distributor according to the invention, irrespective of its mounting in a wall or ceiling, can always insure draftfree supply of pre-conditioned outside air for dwelling areas of various size and shape.

While a particular embodiment of the present invention has been herein illustrated and described, it is not intended to limit the invention to such disclosure, but changes and modifications may be made therein and there to within the scope of the following claims:

We claim:

1. An air distributor for insertion into a mounting frame surrounding an outlet for conditioned ai-r, said distributor comprising a circular front plate adapted to cover said outlet and having a circular opening therein, a sleeve merging into said opening and projecting rearwardly therefrom to engage in said frame, and a plurality of annular concentric vanes mounted in said opening, the improvement wherein the forward part of each of the annular vanes facing the plane of the front plate is in the form of a hollow cylinder, inclined to the plane of the front plate, said forward parts of the annular vanes having a common longitudinal axis disposed at an acute angle with the plane of the front plate and intersecting said plane at the center of the opening to direct the conditioned air outwardly from said outlet in the direction of said common axis with a low pressure drop and low inherent noise; and

the rearward part of each vane is in the form of a hollow cylinder, said rearward parts having a second common axis perpendicular to the plane of the front plate and offset from the center of said opening.

3 2. An air distributor according to claim 1 including means mounting said distributor in the frame for rotary displacement about the center of said opening to afiord corresponding revolution of said first common axis.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,858,760 11/1958 Lathir op 98-40 2,996,972 8/1961 Johansson 984O FOREIGN PATENTS 59,554 2/1942 Denmark.

ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner.

W. E. WAYNER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN AIR DISTRIBUTOR FOR INSERTION INTO A MOUNTING FRAME SURROUNDING AN OUTLET FOR CONDITIONED AIR, SAID DISTRIBUTOR COMPRISING A CIRCULAR FRONT PLATE ADAPTED TO COVER SAID OUTLET AND HAVING A CIRCULAR OPENING THEREIN, A SLEEVE MERGING INTO SAID OPENING AND PROJECTING REARWARDLY THEREFROM TO ENGAGE IN SAID FRAME, AND A PLURALITY OF ANNULAR CONCENTRIC VANES MOUNTED IN SAID OPENING, THE IMPROVEMENT WHEREIN THE FORWARD PART OF EACH OF THE ANNULAR VANES FACING THE PLANE OF THE FRONT PLATE IS IN THE FORM OF A HOLLOW CYLINDER, INCLINED TO THE PLANE OF THE FRONT PLATE, SAID FORWARD PARTS OF THE ANNULAR VANES HAVING A COMMON LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF DISPOSED AT AN ACUTE ANGLE WITH THE PLANE OF THE FRONT PLATE AND INTERSECTING SAID PLANE AT THE CENTER OF THE OPENING TO DIRECT THE CONDITIONED AIR OUTWARDLY FROM SAID OUTLET IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID COMMON AXIS WITH A LOW PRESSURE DROP AND LOW INHERENT NOISE; AND THE REARWARD PART OF EACH VANE IS IN THE FORM OF A HOLLOW CYLINDER, SAID REARWARD PARTS HAVING A SECOND COMMON AXIS PERPENDICULAR TO THE PLANE OF THE FRONT PLATE AND OFFSET FROM THE CENTER OF SAID OPENING. 